South Sudan inaugurates modern river port in Juba
By James Gatdet Dak
August 22, 2007 (JUBA) — The Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has inaugurated the first River Port in Juba on the western bank of the River Nile. He officially declared the River Port open with effect from Tuesday, August 21.
The Port was constructed by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of the Japanese government’s projects offered towards the development of Southern Sudan. JICA is responsible for implementing technical cooperation programs of Japan’s official development assistance.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the River Port, GoSS Vice-President, Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, said the Port would benefit not only the GoSS capital, Juba, and Central Equatoria state but also Western and Eastern Equatoria states. He pointed out that the use of the first River Port in the Greater Equatoria region would contribute to the change of lives for the better.
Machar noted that the region had been neglected in the past and could not benefit from regular movement of river transport from Kosti because of its past lack of River Port. He expressed his appreciation to the Japanese government for the project, and hoped for similar achievements by the Japanese government in other areas of development in Southern Sudan.
The construction of the Juba River Port cost two and a half million US dollars ($2.5m) and has the capacity of three hundred and eighty kilowatts (380kw) of electricity.
Addressing the same occasion, the Minister for Transport and Roads in the Government of Southern Sudan, David Deng Athorbei, asked the citizens of Juba to be patient while GOSS tries its level best to develop the town. He promised a large crowd attending the ceremony that the ongoing construction of roads in Juba town would be completed in six months.
The Ceremony was also attended by the Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, Yuichi Ishii. He re-affirmed his government’s commitment to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) through development. Yuichi promised of more projects to come from the Japanese government as part of its assistance to the Government and the people of Southern Sudan.
(ST)